


Take Our Second Chances and Run With It

by silv3rbloodalch3mist



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Frozen (Disney Movies), Wreck-It Ralph (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexuals in Love, Borderline OOC, Everyone Shits on Ralph the AU, F/M, Lowkey Bakery AU, Other Disney Characters as Side Characters, School Reunion, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21912724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silv3rbloodalch3mist/pseuds/silv3rbloodalch3mist
Summary: Ralph wasn't planning on going to his ten year high school reunion. Not until he learned that Elsa Sommers was attending. And that she was asking about him. A lot has changed in ten years; maybe this time he'll work up the courage to admit feelings he's never quite been able to let go.
Relationships: Elsa/Wreck-It Ralph (Disney)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	1. An Invitation Never Opened is Technically Never Recieved

**Author's Note:**

> This is certainly A Thing.
> 
> I won't even pretend this isn't self indulgent as hell. Expect a lot of awkward adults reverting into awkward teenagers and not knowing how to act around each other. No implicit Frozen 2 spoilers, but there are some allusions to plots and character development that happen in that movie. Surprisingly I didn't have to really change anything in this au to fit, they had already kinda ended up au versions of their canon endings here, which is cool.
> 
> As the tags mention, this is borderline out of character, but I tried to keep everyone as close to their characters as I could given the complete change of setting and era. Ralph changes the most, I think, though I hope the grumpy but kindhearted soul of his character still comes through.
> 
> Shout out to whoever got me started on Relsa all those years ago, you beautiful forgotten bastard, and all my friends who have had to listen to me cry about "Show Me" for three days straight as I hyperfocus _hard_. You all knew what you were getting into and I will not apologize for art.

The letter arrived in May. It was stuffed between coupon catalogs and a bank statement, his full name printed on the front in an inoffensive font. It was heavy like only expensive invitations were - not that he had much experience with expensive invitations, mind you - and he knew without even opening the envelope what it would contain.

So Ralph shoved it in a drawer in his kitchen and decided to let it sit there until the RSVP date passed and he wouldn't have to deal with it ever again.

At least, that was his _plan_. It took only three days for said plan to go up in smoke the moment Felix showed up at his door with a huge, beaming smile and a box full of envelopes and stamps in his hands.

“Did you get your invitation to the reunion?” Felix asked the moment Ralph had opened the door all the way, bouncing excitedly on his toes. Ralph barely resisted the urge to sigh, instead rubbing his hand across his jaw like he was in deep thought.

“I don't think so? Probably just late,” he said with a shrug. “Or maybe got lost?”

“Lost in your kitchen drawers, yeah,” said a devious voice from the kitchen, and Ralph grimaced. Turning to look, Vanellope was sitting on his counter, envelope in hand and a wide, shit-eating grin on her face.

_Traitor._

“That's something else,” he tried to deflect, ignoring Felix’s pout. Vanellope simply hummed, running her thumb carelessly under the flap, ripping the top open easily. “Hey! Opening someone else's mail is a federal crime!” Ralph protested, leaving the door to instead race into the kitchen. Vanellope was already three steps ahead of him, and easily vaulted herself over the counter and into the living room right before he was within grabbing range.

 _“‘Dear Mr. Ralph O’Reilly’!”_ the young woman read as she dodged behind the couch. _“‘Please join us to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Marceline High School’s Class of 2009’!”_

“Give that back, you little guttersnipe!”

 _“‘Saturday, July fourteenth’,”_ Vanellope continued to read even as she dodged Ralph’s attempts to swipe the invitation from her hands. _“‘Cocktails begin at 5:30 pm, dinner and dancing at 6:30!’_ Ooooh~ dinner _and_ dancing, Ralphie,” she teased. “At least one of those you’re good at.”

“I hate you and everything you represent.”

“Tough luck, junior. You work for me~”

Ralph sighed heavily, letting the younger woman dance away with his invitation - humming Pomp and Circumstance as she went - as he turned to face his cousin instead. Felix had closed the door after himself, arms crossed over his chest and the box of Mail Accoutrements set on the kitchen table. “Now, Ralph-” Felix began, and Ralph waved at him dismissively; suddenly feeling 59 instead of 29.

“I know, I know; it's not right to lie,” he grumbled, dropping onto the couch and letting his head fall back against the cushions. There was a beat of silence, then... “I don't want to go.”

“Why not?” Felix asked, coming closer to sit on the nearby recliner. There was no judgement in his tone, only genuine curiosity.

Ralph sighed. “We had very different experiences in high school, Felix,” he deadpanned. “It’s not exactly a time I want to revisit.”

Felix had been The Golden Boy in a class of Golden Boys; constantly volunteering, secretary on the Student Council, in the top percentile of their class for all four years, on the planning committees for every event, nominated for Prom King twice and in the court both times (only beat out, it was rumored, because he wasn’t on the football team and theirs was a school steeped in weird-ass traditions). Everyone had known and liked Felix McBrayer.

Everyone knew Ralph, too, but for a very different reason.

Felix at least looked sheepish, and Ralph just nodded. “Fair point, brother. Still, don’t you want to see your old friends? I know a ton of people are coming back into town _just_ for the reunion. Gosh, Wendy is coming all the way from London!”

Ralph had never had a substantial conversation with Wendy Darling in his _life_ , and judging by the embarrassed grin on his face, Felix had realized that only after he said it.

“You’re going about this aaaall wrong,” Vanellope drawled from over Ralph’s shoulder, sitting on the back of the sofa just so she could drop back with her legs in the air, her wild, dark hair fanned out on the cushion. “Come on, Hardhat, you gotta have better material than that,” she said with a grin, tucking her hands - and the envelope - behind her head.

“And what’s your argument?” Ralph asked, rolling his eyes at the younger woman’s dramatics. He never should have given her a key to his apartment.

“ _Spite,_ my dear Stinkbrain!” Vanellope said proudly. “Come on, look at you, buddy! You’re successful, well-settled, finally learned how to use a _toothbrush-_ ”

“Oi!”

“You’re a new man!” she exclaimed brightly. “Go to this dumb reunion and show them exactly what Wreck-It Ralph is capable of! Oh, and take me as your plus one,” she added distractedly, “because this menu is _amazing_ and I _want._ ”

“Wait for your own reunion!” Ralph said, plucking the invitation from her hand and rolling her away from him with one careful shove. He gave the invitation a glance before dropping it to the coffee table, trying not to let his expression show that the caterer had him interested as well (of _course_ Tiana’s Place was catering, Felix probably had Tiana on speed-dial).

“That’s three years awaaaay,” Vanellope whined. “And besides, no one in my class did anything cool after graduation! It’s going to be boring as heeell.”

“Vanellope,” Felix said in a warning tone.

“Boring as _heck._ Sorry, Cap.”

Felix just sighed, shaking his head as he reached over to lay his hand on Ralph’s shoulder. “Ralph, I can't force you to go if you don't want to,” he said quietly, and Ralph almost let himself relax. Felix _wouldn't_ force him, not if he knew Ralph genuinely didn't want to go. However, convincing Felix that that was the truth was the hard part, and Ralph was just waiting for the 'but’.

“But…”

_Called it._

“I think you should give it a little more thought before you make up your mind,” Felix urged. “The RSVP date is still a few weeks away, and you can just call and let me know if you want to go. It's just one night, Ralph, and I think you'll really enjoy seeing everyone again. And it's like Vanellope said, it will be a great chance to show everyone how successful you've become!”

“I'm a baker, Felix,” Ralph said flatly.

“Oi!” Vanellope chimed in. “You are the co-owner of one of the most successful mom-and-pop bakeries in the county!”

“Oh, so _now_ you admit I'm a co-owner?”

“Don't get used to it buddy, I'm still the president.”

Felix’s phone chirped before Ralph and Vanellope could dive back into another round of their patented banter, and he excused himself with a small, apologetic grin before pulling his phone out from his pocket. “Sorry, probably the Missus,” he said sheepishly, and Ralph waved off his apology easily.

“No problem, man. Tell Tamora we said hi.” Felix nodded and checked his messages with a smile, and Ralph would have thought nothing of it if Felix’s smile didn't immediately spread even wider across his face; his cheeks dimpling in a way that, for Felix, meant nothing but bad news.

“Well that's frea-kay,” Vanellope said, watching Felix with a wary expression as she resettled herself upright on the couch, shoving her toes under Ralph’s leg.

“Sorry! Sorry,” Felix said, sounding too giddy to be truly sorry. “Just a message from one of our classmates, asking about the reunion.”

“Who is it?” Ralph asked hesitantly, feeling a shiver of dread prick its way down his spine as he walked right into the obvious trap.

“Oh, just Elsa Sommers,” Felix said with a wide, beaming smile, and Ralph froze.

Oh, god _damn_ him.

“Yeah, she just sent me a message earlier today letting me know her formal RSVP was on the way,” Felix continued like he hadn't seen Ralph go still as a statue, “and has graciously offered to help chip in for supplies! She seems pretty excited, she's driving down from Hermosa to spend the night for the reunion.”

Hermosa. She lived in Hermosa now- that was only an hour’s drive away.

“It's funny, actually. She was the one who reminded me to come make sure you had gotten your invitation. She was very curious about whether or not you would be coming...”

“Fuck you, give me a pen,” Ralph nearly growled, grabbing the invitation and pushing away from the couch and the two knowing grins perched on it to grab the box Felix had brought with him.

“Ralphie, language,” Vanellope sang with a wicked grin as Ralph opened the box and pulled out a pen, fumbling in the envelope for the RSVP slip.

“Bite me,” he told her, carefully penning his name on the line and marking an ' _X'_ on the _'will be attending’_ box.

He put Vanellope as his plus one just to shut her up.


	2. Why Have a Ballroom With No Balls

The ballroom Felix and Aurora had picked out for the reunion was damn beautiful, and Ralph felt small even just looking at it through the front doors. It was an odd feeling, to say the least; at six-foot-eight, Ralph was used to making other people feel small. It all just looked… expensive, and Ralph resisted the urge to shove his hands in his pockets so he didn’t risk knocking into anything.

July had come, and so here he stood. Wearing his only nice suit - the one from Felix and Tamora’s wedding - with Vanellope standing next to him as they waited to be let in. The younger woman seemed to be alternating between discomfort and fascination, tugging on the skirt of her dress and the neckline as she looked around the foyer with wide green eyes.

“Wow, I forgot how ungodly attractive everyone at our school was,” she whispered to Ralph, and his ears went immediately red.

“Van,” Ralph hissed, “I will send you home right now I  _ swear to God.” _

“Sheesh, alright, fine,” Vanellope said, holding her hands up innocently. “... I’m not wrong.”

No, she wasn’t. Ralph had always felt like a buffalo in a school full of show horses, and to his dismay, the rest of the people in his class had only gotten prettier with age. Aurora was standing by the door, her hand tucked into the arm of her date as she smiled and welcomed everyone to the event, and she was practically glowing. Even the other people in line, whom Ralph recognized with varying levels of success, all looked like movie stars waiting to go to a premier, and it just made Ralph itchy all over.

He had never fit in with these people. Why had he let the suggestion of one woman’s attendance convince him to go through with this?

A few people had greeted him while they were line, and Ralph had replied with a strained smile and a polite reply. He tried to channel all his years of having to cover the counter while Vanellope or their part-timer, Sofia, were out for the day or on break; using his customer-service experience like a shield. It seemed to work, and Vanellope was happy to sweep in and take control of the conversation whenever Ralph floundered. This was why he had really brought her along. They worked best when they were together, watching out for the other.

(He’d never admit it, but the tiny upstart freshman who had latched onto him in his senior year after he’d scared off a flock of bullies was probably one of the only reasons he stayed in school long enough to graduate.)

Eventually they made it up to the desk, and Belle looked up at them with a sweet smile. “Hey, Ralph,” she said warmly, and Ralph gave her a small grin back. They hadn’t been friends, but they had both spent enough time in the library to be friendly. “Hi Val! How’ve you two been?” she asked as she began to flip through a box for their name tags.

“Doing so much better now that I’ve seen your lovely face,” Vanellope replied shamelessly, smiling teasingly at Belle. Thankfully, Belle seemed to realize she was just being Vanellope, and only gave her a wry grin. “But really, we’re good! We’re business partners now,” Vanellope said proudly, and Ralph’s ears burned again.

“Really?” Belle asked, stopping her search to look up at them curiously. 

“Yup! You’re looking at the owners of Sugar Rush Confectionery and Bakery,” Vanellope said, slinging her arm through Ralph’s with a beaming grin. Belle looked genuinely surprised, but just smiled.

“That’s wonderful! I’ve been meaning to check it out for a while,” she admitted, handing them two laminated name-tags with little magnets on the back. “Now I have a good reason to!”

“I’ll be sure to give you the friends and family discount,” Vanellope promised, winking at her while Ralph fumbled to put the name-tag on his lapel. “Just tell them Val sent you.”

“I’ll do that,” Belle said with a small chuckle. “You two enjoy the reunion!” She waved them inside, and Ralph nodded to her.

“Thanks,” he said quietly, and she smiled at him as Vanellope dragged him towards the doors. 

They only stopped to say hello to Aurora and her date, who warmly waved them inside with one of those too-pretty smiles that made Ralph feel like running in the opposite direction, and soon they were inside. The whole ballroom was done up in robin’s egg blue and gold, the school colors, and even in a ballroom two stories tall and featuring  _ three  _ massive chandeliers, it managed to look tasteful. Guess that was what happened when you put a part-time interior designer, full-time architect in charge of the venue. 

“Woooah,” Vanellope said lowly, craning her head so far back to look at the whole room that Ralph had to catch her before she tipped right over on her short heels. “Felix really does not do halfsies, does he?”

“This is news to you?” Ralph asked wryly, and Vanellope conceded with a shrug and a grin. There wasn’t a live band - thank  _ god -  _ but hidden speakers played soft music as the growing crowd mingled. Ralph and Vanellope had arrived (mostly) on time, but it still looked like most of his class was already there; sipping on cocktails and in some cases, hugging friends they hadn’t seen in a while.

Without thinking about it, Ralph found his eyes raking the crowd for a head of white-gold hair, pulled up into a severe bun, but even from his height it was hard to look over the whole crowd at once. “See her?” Vanellope asked casually, and Ralph shook his head before he could fully process her question.

“No, not ye- um, see who?” he asked, pointedly ignoring his friend’s knowing grin. He coughed awkwardly, beginning to walk around the edge of the crowd carefully as he looked for the alcohol. Not even in the ballroom for a minute, and he already needed a drink. He’d never been a big fan of alcohol, but he always felt better with something in his hand between him and the rest of the world. Though maybe he would avoid the champagne flutes… That would only end in disaster with his propensity for clumsiness. 

Vanellope trailed along after him happily, waving at a few familiar faces; either from school or from the bakery. Ralph was usually in the back with Attila and Dulcie, far away from the customers, so most of the faces were only familiar to him as they had been in high school; younger and softer. It was like looking into a room full of fun house mirrors, and he was sure he was going to have a headache before the night was over. 

“Ralphie, they have hors’ d'oeuvres,” Vanellope said with a little delighted gasp, pointing to a server a little further ahead of them. “Wanna see how many we can shove in our mouths?”

For the first time that night, Ralph’s smile was genuine and unrestrained.

“You’re on, half-pint,” he said with a grin, and the two began to make their way over to the server as “casually” as possible. The only person who paid any mind to them was Jim Hawkins, but he was quickly distracted by the pretty redhead on his arm - Ariel was her name, right? - before he could approach them, so Ralph considered it a success.

The server gave them an odd look as the two set upon the little savory pies with matching devious grins, but didn’t protest as they each took a napkin and began to shove the tiny morsels onto their improvised plates. They had managed to get nearly half the tray before the server finally cleared his throat, giving them a pointed look that sent the two scrambling off. Vanellope was still trying to bite down on her cackling when the found a spot near where they were setting up the buffet, only huffing a little when she saw how many more of the little pies Ralph had nabbed. 

“It’s only because your hands are so freakishly huge,” she complained, and Ralph only grinned. 

“They’re proportional.”

“Then  _ you’re  _ freakishly huge!”

Had it been anyone but Vanellope, he might have been insulted. But it  _ was _ Vanellope, so Ralph just laughed, resting his free elbow on her head and grinning when the  _ much  _ shorter woman struggled to shove him off. Perks of being over six feet tall and having a best friend who barely broke five-two.

“Quit delaying the inevitable!” she said with a wicked grin. “I believe we have a contest to get to!” Ralph finally moved his elbow, picking up an hors’ d'oeuvres and preparing to shove it in his mouth. Vanellope copied his stance, a competitive glint in her eyes, and Ralph counted them off before shoving the little pie in his mouth. Vanellope was small, but had a big mouth (as Ralph and Tamora were both fond of telling her), and they were pretty even for a minute as they stuffed their cheeks like bizarrely finely-dressed squirrels.

And then Ralph looked up and spotted familiar pale hair and fair skin and nearly choked.

He quickly spun on his heel so his back was to the rest of the crowd, frantically chewing the food in his mouth and ignoring Vanellope’s questioning grunt past her full mouth. He choked a few times, but powered through until all the hors’ d'oeuvres were gone, and slowly looked back over his shoulder.

To find that she was already gone.

Ralph turned all the way around, looking around frantically while Vanellope struggled to get her own food down. “Where…” he muttered to himself, slowly deflating as he realized the glimpse he had seen of the woman had been a flash in the pan kind of deal. She’d already moved on.

“What the hell, Ralph? I was on a roll!” Vanellope grumbled, popping the last of the hors’ d’oeurves in her mouth and chewing it like a normal person. Ralph just slowly shook his head. 

“I… thought I saw…”

He couldn’t finish the sentence, but he hadn’t needed to, since Vanellope’s eyes lit up with understanding and she was immediately looking through the crowd. “You saw Elsa? Where?” she asked, grabbing onto his shoulder so she could rise up onto her toes and look. Ralph tried to shrug her off, but Vanellope just responded by putting both hands on his shoulders and physically hauling herself up, her knee finding purchase at his hip so she could hold herself up.

“Van! What the fuck, get down!” he hissed, even as his hand automatically went to support her leg so she didn’t slip and hurt herself. She happily ignored him, instead looking out over the crowd from her new vantage point while shoving her elbow into his neck carelessly. Ralph could only splutter and threaten to buck her off again with a small hop. “Come on, seriously!? We’re in a freaking ballroom right now, can you  _ not-” _

“Ralph?”

Ralph and Vanellope both screeched, Vanellope clinging to Ralph’s neck as he jumped out of his skin and scrambled back from the source of the voice. Elsa looked just as startled as they did, taking a couple steps back so they could just stare at each other and struggle to catch their breath. Ralph’s heart was about to crash right out of his chest, and if they were literally anywhere else and it was literally anyone else in front of them, he would have laid down right there on the floor until he wasn’t at risk of having a heart attack.

He was nearly 30, he needed to start thinking about his heart health or some shit. 

“Elsa!” Ralph croaked, smiling awkwardly. “Hey! W-what a surprise to see you here!”

Elsa blinked at him owlishly. “... You mean at our high school reunion?” she asked, sounding politely confused. Vanellope snorted into his shoulder and Ralph shrugged her off of him with a hiss, still smiling at Elsa even as he shoved the younger woman insistently away.

“I’m glad you could make it!” he said, hoping that Elsa would just go with it and ignore how he was avoiding her question. “It’s good to see you!” 

At that, Elsa smiled, and Ralph momentarily lost his breath. He hadn’t gotten a good look of her yet, and he realized that she - like literally everyone else at this damn reunion, what was  _ up with that? -  _ had only gotten more beautiful in the ten years between graduation and now. Her pale hair was still nearly white, only now it fell over her shoulder in a thick braid, her bangs having been allowed to grow out and pushed back out of her ice-chip blue eyes. There was a faint flush of color to her fair skin, and Ralph was surprised to see a few freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose.

She looked  _ happy. _ Far happier than she had ever looked in high school. It was really doing wonders for her whole look.

He was screwed.

“It’s good to see you too, Ralph,” Elsa said softly, still smiling at him. “Goodness, it’s been ages, right? Time flies.” Ralph could only nod, horrifically aware that his ears were a bright red.

“Yup, ten years.” Ralph didn’t mention that he’d kept up with Elsa through social media as much as he could without feeling like a stalker, occasionally checking her Facebook profile or Anna’s instagram just to make sure she was doing alright. Sometimes, early in the morning, when he was getting ready for work and was watching his coffee drip slowly into the pot, he’d think about sending her a message, but always flaked out before the thought could be more than a passing fancy.

Being face to face with her again was way,  _ way _ different than seeing her through the screen of his phone. Crap, that sounded weird.

“It’s nice to see Vanellope hasn’t changed,” Elsa said, gesturing to where his friend had been. Key word here being  _ ‘had’ _ . Ralph turned to look for her, and found her halfway across the room with Felix, both pointedly not looking at him. Not suspiciously at all. Jerks. Ralph just huffed, scrubbing his hand down his face.

“Unfortunately,” he muttered, and Elsa giggled into her palm, sending butterflies fluttering around his chest. For a moment, the two just stood and looked at each other, both wearing matching half-grins and fidgeting subtly in place, and Ralph wondered if it would be weird to shake her hand or something.

What he wanted to do was give her a hug, honestly; but as she had mentioned, it had been ages, and they had never really been the touchy-feely types to begin with. Theirs had very much begun as a friendship of convenience back in their sophomore year of high school. Both had been a year older than the rest of their classmates, and both had sought refuge in the library from the other students and their larger-than-life antics and personalities. Eventually, they found that refuge in each other, and there had only been a couple of days when they hadn’t seen each other.

They didn’t speak much, hadn’t exchanged numbers or chatted outside of school, but it worked for them.

Now, Ralph wasn’t sure what he wanted.

Their eyes met again after nearly a minute of not-exactly-awkward silence, and Elsa giggled again shyly as Ralph grinned. “Okay, enough of that,” Ralph said, praying he wasn’t about to overstep his boundaries and ruin the whole reunion for her before it started. “I’ve been told people hug at these things when they meet old friends,” he offered, opening his arms, and Elsa’s answering smile was breathtaking.

She easily walked into the circle of his arms with a laugh, trying and failing to wrap her arms around his waist as she tucked her face against his chest. Shivers ran along his spine and in his bones from everywhere they touched, and not just because Elsa still ran pretty chilly. He wrapped his arms carefully around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze when she didn’t flinch away from his large hands. She had been tall and thin as a rail when they were teens, but time had softened the hard planes of her body and replaced them with soft curves and subtle muscles. She was still pretty tall, though, and in her heels she was nearly on level with his shoulders.

“It’s so good to see you, Ralph,” Elsa said softly, her cheek resting against his chest.

“You too, Els’,” Ralph replied, and for a moment, there was no one else in the room. Just the two of them, holding onto each other like maybe if they were just close enough, those ten years after graduation would just disappear and they’d be back to being… whatever they had been before.

Elsa finally pulled away, but not far enough to step out of his arms. Instead, her hands stayed on his sides and his stayed on her back as she looked him over, and he tried not to show how weirdly giddy the contact was making him. His ears were never going back to a normal color, were they? “You look good!” she said with a small grin, reaching up to adjust his tie - which had become crooked when Vanellope had attempted to scale him like a mountain. Ralph nearly felt his soul leave his body.

“You too,” Ralph replied automatically, his tongue nearly detaching itself from his mouth when Elsa’s blue eyes swung up to his. “I mean- you look better. Not that you ever didn’t look good, it’s just a new good now.”

Oh my  _ god _ , shut the  _ fuck up _ .

“Jesus christ, I didn’t-” Ralph nearly groaned, dragging his hand down his face and missing Elsa’s growing smile as he attempted to remove his foot from his mouth. “What I meant is, you look happier.”

When he finally emerged from his Shame Pit located in the palm of his hand, Elsa was smiling at him with sparkling eyes, and Ralph realized exactly how fucked he was.

“I am happier, I think,” she said, hands still resting on his chest. “A lot has happened in the past ten years.”

“I’ve got time,” Ralph said automatically. “If you want to catch me up, that is.”

Her smile grew.

“Only if you do the same for me,” she told him, finally stepping out of his arms only to move to his side; wrapping her arm around his and tucking her hand into his elbow. “I want to know  _ everything.” _

Well, who was he to deny her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you playing along at home, Sofia is the titular character from Sofia the First, and Dulcie is a fairy from the original Pixie Hollow brand before the movies came out. She's a baking talent fairy! Attila is from Tangled. And yes, I did in fact, shove my other Disney rarepair crossover ship into the background of this fic, how kind of you to notice lol.


	3. Catch Me Up

Ralph couldn’t remember the last time he had talked to someone that wasn’t Felix or Vanellope this much. He and Elsa had gone through the motions of mingling with the rest of their class for only as long as it took to get some punch before finding themselves on a couch along the wall, catching each other up on their lives. It was almost like all of the words they hadn’t shared in the first three years of their friendship were rushing out, and now they were determined to catch up to their Friend Quota in just one evening.

Elsa had been quiet and shy in high school, almost reclusive, but now she spoke with confidence. Her gestures never went too over the top, and Ralph had needed to bite back a laugh when she had been sure to lay a napkin in her lap to rest her drink on in a way that was Classic 'Prim and Proper' Elsa, but there was a life and a joy in each moment that made Ralph’s heart pound in his chest. He was so happy for her he was about to explode with it. 

She told him about going to college at her parent’s Alma Mater, studying law for a year before deciding to change course and pursue a degree in accounting. “I had always loved math, and organizing things, and helping my father around the office,” she said. “It just felt right. Boring, I know, but it made me so much happier than my law course.”

“No, not boring,” Ralph reassured quickly. “You’re probably the only person who ever made math interesting for me. It’s great that you found what works for you in college.” Elsa had given him a bright smile in reply, and Ralph wanted to hug her again.

After graduating, Elsa had bounced around to a couple of big accounting firms before finally finding a job in Hermosa as the accountant for a small publishing company. She quickly became head of the department, and even though her department had only three people in it, it was a position she was justly proud of. She even got out her phone to show Ralph pictures of her and the rest of her employees and coworkers. 

“That’s Olaf,” she explained, pointing to a young man with messy, brown hair and a wide, crooked smile standing next to Elsa in what looked like an ice skating rink, “and that’s Peri.” Another young woman, this one with ombre hair and mischievous, pixie-like features. “Olaf’s our secretary, and Peri helps me with accounts payables.”

“They skate too?” Ralph asked, remembering how Elsa had done competitive ice skating while they were in school.

“Peri does,” Elsa said with a nod and a laugh. “That was the day we finally took Olaf to the nearby rink and tried to teach him how.” She scrolled through a few more pictures of Olaf and Peri attempting to skate, and Olaf more often than not on his rump. “We’re still working on it,” she said as Ralph laughed.

Next it was Ralph’s turn, and he told her about how he had bounced around from odd job to odd job for a while after high school, unsure of what he wanted to be doing. It had been accidentally falling asleep on Vanellope’s couch one night after playing video games that had led to Ralph eventually being hired on to work at her family’s bakery. “I woke up and saw her uncle getting ready to head downstairs, and he asked me to help him carry some of the heavier ingredients from the delivery that came in the morning. Soon I was coming over every morning at 4 AM to help out, and then I was helping prepare the dough, and then I had an apron.” He shrugged. “I’ve been working in the back ever since.”

Elsa looked fascinated. “So you make all the pastries yourself?” she asked, and Ralph laughed.

“I wish I was that good! No, we have two other bakers; Attila and Dulcie. Here-” he pulled out his phone, going to Sugar Rush’s facebook page and showing Elsa the picture of Ralph and Attila lifting the much smaller Dulcie up on their shoulders. Attila had a wide smile on his face, along with about a million tattoos that covered him from head to toe, and Dulcie was laughing brightly as she clung to their shoulders with tanned hands, her brown curls alive with movement even in the still image.

Elsa leaned into his side to look at the photo, giggling at the weird pose the bakers had struck, and Ralph could feel every point of contact between them like a livewire under his skin. He felt like he was seventeen again, wondering what one of the prettiest girls in their school was doing sitting next to him and quietly helping him with his homework. Ralph’s eyes subconsciously strayed to her left hand, and he felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease when he saw her ring finger was naked.

And as soon as he realized what he had done, Ralph shoved that relief in a corner to never see the light of day again.

Instead, Ralph told Elsa more about how he and Vanellope had worked together in the bakery for four years - Ralph learning all he could about baking and Vanellope learning about the business side of things and schmoozing with the customers - before her uncle had to move back with his wife’s family and left the bakery to them.They’d given the old building a new paint job, a new theme, and now they were so wildly successful that Vanellope actually had the money to get her degree in business and Ralph could continue to outfit the kitchen with new appliances and top-of-the-line tech.

"I'll have to come see before I leave town!" Elsa said enthusiastically when Ralph had finally finished his much-too-long ramble about the new ovens that had been installed last month. Ralph hated himself a little for the excited jump his heart did in his chest.

"Well, I'll be there first thing tomorrow," he said, temporarily possessed by what he could only assume to be Vanellope's charisma. "I'll give you a personal tour and everything."

That must have been the right thing to say, because Elsa positively lit up at the idea. She had a dimple on one cheek that Ralph had seen more tonight than during their entire time in high school. He was growing increasingly nervous about how much he wanted to kiss it.

Before he could do something stupid, like follow through on That Particular Thought, the music cut off and Ralph heard a familiar cough echo around the ballroom.

"Howdy everyone!" Felix said brightly, standing on the stage in his most dapper tux. "Thank you all kindly for coming tonight! Now, we're about to serve dinner in a few minutes here, so if everyone could find their seats, we'll be sure to get that started!"

Ralph groaned quietly. "Right, assigned seats," he muttered. He glanced at Elsa and beat down the surge of satisfaction when he saw she looked as disappointed as he felt. "Have to say, not something I particularly missed much from high school.” Elsa laughed, and Ralph wanted to have the sound permanently embedded in his brain.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea where I’m sitting,” she admitted. “I meant to look earlier but I totally forgot.”

“At least you  _ meant  _ to look, I’m just waiting for Felix to show up and drag my butt around to the proper place.”

He may have been expecting Felix, but it was someone else entirely who bounced through the crowd to find them. Elsa’s younger sister, Anna, was just as energetic as Ralph remembered, although her hair had been let down from her signature twin braids she’d had in high school and instead was done up in some sleek half-up style. Ralph made a mental note to mention it to Dulcie; she was always doing something new with her hair.

Anna was also _ visibly  _ pregnant, which had Ralph doing a double take. He knew from his totally-not-social-media-stalking that Anna had gotten married to some guy she met in college a few years back and that the two had a couple kids already, but he’d totally missed that she was expecting again. 

“There you are!” Anna chirped brightly. “Kristoff found our seats and- oh my gosh, Ralph!” She sounded distinctly like she was trying too hard to sound surprised, but Ralph wasn’t allowed to ruminate on that longer because Anna was pulling him into a hug in the next second. Even sitting, Ralph was only a few inches shorter than the upright Anna, and he was careful to hug her back as gently as physically possible so as not to disturb her baby bump. “It’s so great to see you! Wow, you clean up super nice!”

“Good to see you too, Anna,” he said with a small grin. “And you can thank Felix for that. His wedding is the only reason I own a suit.”

“I’ll be sure to do just that!” she joked, giving him one good squeeze before letting go. “Actually, this is perfect that you’re here. You’re at our table!”

Ralph had to call on every ounce of self control to not pull off one of his gigantic shoes and throw it at the smiling man still standing on stage. That tiny, smiling, matchmaking devil. Ralph was never baking him snickerdoodles ever again.

“How lucky is that!” he said, trying to match Anna’s enthusiasm so hopefully no one paid any attention to the fact that his ears were once again burning and his eye was twitching. “Let me guess, Felix and Tamora too?”

“If the place cards are to be believed, that would be a yes.”

“What a twist.” 

A cool hand laid on his arm and Ralph’s head snapped around to meet Elsa’s nervous smile. “Is that okay?” she asked softly enough that Ralph knew the question was only for him, and he immediately felt like a dick. He smiled at her, bringing his own hand to rest over hers. 

“It’s great,” he promised. “I’m just sorry that now you have to sit through me talking about ovens  _ and  _ Felix talking about design schemes in the same night. That’s gotta be in the Geneva Convention somewhere.”

The tension in her shoulders dissipated at his answer and Elsa’s smile was bright and genuine once more. Ralph legitimately forgot there was anyone else in the room until Anna coughed delicately into her hand next to him. There was a twinkle in her eye that made Ralph think of Vanellope at her most devious, and he suddenly wasn’t so sure Felix and Van were the ones to watch out for at their table.

“Well, just look for the tall blond guy who looks wildly uncomfortable in a sport jacket and you’ll find our table,” she told him with a grin, pointing towards the front of the ballroom. “I do have to steal my sister for just a moment though. You don’t mind, do you?” Anna rested her hand on the swell of her belly, and Ralph had a very distinct feeling that whatever Anna had planned for Elsa would be  _ waaay  _ out of his depths. He could safely say that his interactions with pregnant women was limited mostly to baking cakes for Baby Showers, and those experiences alone were enough to get him off the couch in preparation to bolt.

“Not at all. I’ve been hogging her all night,” he said, offering Elsa a hand up off the couch which she accepted gracefully. She smoothed out the skirt of her blue cocktail dress with a quick flick of her hand and Anna was next to her in the next second, their arms easily locking together.

“Perfect! We’ll meet you over there, then!” Anna said brightly. “Don’t have too much fun without us!”

“I will try to restrain myself,” Ralph said dryly, his lip quirking into a crooked grin at Elsa’s muffled snort. With that, Anna quickly pulled Elsa away towards the back doors that led deeper into the building, and Ralph watched the two sisters’ heads bend in towards each other. He was still staring when Elsa turned to look back at him over her shoulder with a shy smile, and his shoulders went stiff as his cheeks rushed to catch up with the color of his ears. _ Shit. Caught. _

He quickly spun on his heel and walked away, trying not to think too hard about the giggling laughter he could hear behind him as he looked for their table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the mid-way point of this fic, and next time we get into Elsa's POV!


End file.
